The Special "TOP HAT" Cover on Top of the BOP has Apparently Blown Off!

Originally posted by Cito
sheesh this place over sensationalizes things more than the damn media does.

it didn't BLOW OFF

it had a rupture quite a different thing the cap is still in place it didn't blow off or explode, a rover ran into it and knocked a hole in the
cap.

damn most the subjects on this are worse than fox and cnn combined..

stop sensationalizing everything, I swear if the president mentioned he was constipated there would be people panicking on ATS with BOLD and
sensationalistic subjects threads that it was a sign!

take a xanax or hell a rohypnol and chill

Well excuse me for living and actually posting things before waiting for BP to give us their version. Perhaps you could also take another look at the
title of this thread. I wrote that it has apparently blown off, meaning from the appearance of the top of the BOP and the fact that the Top Hat
was no longer in evidence (after if had been "jumping" for some time, as I stated), it appeared to me that it had blown off. This was not an
unreasonable deduction, considering the pressures involved. It was not sensationalist. I called it as I saw it. However, I did not state a definitive
judgment, I merely expressed an opinion and asked members to offer theirs.

Also bear in mind that I posted this before we had any information whatsoever via the MSM or BP itself. So, having watched the events leading
up to the now-missing "Top Hat", I had a choice to make: say nothing and wait to see what BP says, or post and ask for ATS members to look and offer
their own opinions.

I don't mind being wrong. I'd rather say something and be shown to be wrong, than say nothing and later wish to God that I'd spoken up.

By the way, at the time you posted, that "cap" ("Top Hat") was not "still in place". BP have now stated that they removed it. They say it
was due to valve damage caused by an ROV accidentally colliding with it.

My own feeling is that as the open pipe is clearly in worse condition than before -- as evidenced by video -- it is possible that a piece of
the pipe broke off and jammed an outlet or damaged a valve in the "Top Hat", and that is why they decided to remove the "Top Hat". The
pressure inside that thing was huge and like I have said, it was jumping.

I think it was a perhaps case of take it off pronto or possibly have even more troubles very shortly.

That's my opinion and I am entitled to express it. It is not "sensationalist", it is simply a possible scenario that frankly is just as plausible
as the one we're being handed by BP.

"Petroleum Geology - Analysis of source rocks - In terms of source rock analysis, several facts need to be established. Firstly, the question of
whether there actually is any source rock in the area must be answered. Delineation and identification of potential source rocks depends on studies of
the local stratigraphy, palaeogeography and sedimentology to determine the likelihood of organic-rich sediments having been deposited in the past.

If the likelihood of there being a source rock is thought to be high, the next matter to address is the state of thermal maturity of the source, and
the timing of maturation. Maturation of source rocks (see diagenesis and fossil fuels) depends strongly on temperature, such that the majority of
oil generation occurs in the 60° to 120°C range. Gas generation starts at similar temperatures, but may continue up beyond this range, perhaps as
high as 200°C. In order to determine the likelihood of oil/gas generation, therefore, the thermal history of the source rock must be calculated.
This is performed with a combination of geochemical analysis of the source rock (to determine the type of kerogens present and their maturation
characteristics) and basin modelling methods, such as back-stripping, to model the thermal gradient in the sedimentary column."

If you are correct than we are definitely talking about a terrorist attack, wheteher it be home grown or foreign. The only other option is the gun
shot was not suicide, BP is cleaning house and covering up the truth. Either option is not good. GET OUT OF THE GULF!!!!

Kruse, who lived with his family in nearby Foley, Ala., reported to work Wednesday morning as usual at the Gulf Shores Marina on Fort Morgan Road in
Gulf Shores, Vinson said. He met up with his two deckhands at his boat, The Rookie. One of the deckhands later told Vinson that Kruse seemed his usual
self, sending them to fetch ice while he pulled the boat around to the gas pumps.

As the deckhands walked off to get ice, they heard what sounded like a firecracker, Vinson said. They turned around but didn't see anything out of
the ordinary. So they proceeded to gather the ice and wait for Kruse at the pumps. "He never showed," Vinson said.

After waiting a while, the deckhands returned to the boat, which was moored where they had left it, Vinson said. They went aboard and found Kruse at
the captain's bridge above the wheelhouse, Vinson said. He had been shot in the head. A Glock handgun was later recovered from the scene, and
investigators do not suspect foul play, Vinson said.

This is the story regarding the captain of the ROV boat responsible for the crash. Seems like he actually did commit suicide.

Originally posted by dreamwalker74
Simple Fact: If the first hurricane that reaches the gulf, wipes out hundreds of thousands of people, homes and busnisses, the U.S Government will no
longer exist in 2011.

Sure it will. In fact, I believe the people will cling to the government for support and help. Then cap and trade can pass to make sure nothing like
this can ever happen again, etc, etc...

My own feeling is that as the open pipe is clearly in worse condition than before -- as evidenced by video -- it is possible that a piece of the pipe
broke off and jammed an outlet or damaged a valve in the "Top Hat", and that is why they decided to remove the "Top Hat". The pressure inside that
thing was huge and like I have said, it was jumping.

That is kind of what I am thinking, and it's consistent with reports of the pipe being hit with a vehicle (and also of the jagged/damaged edge of the
pipe which we now see). I think the latest line about hydrocarbons and methane formations is a diversion from this accident.

I heard on NPR that they plan on reattaching the tophat some time tommorrow, but I suspect that if this pipe has been damaged, they might be
scratching their heads now.

I think you will see a lot of 'jockeying' around with the tophat, but I suspect that damage on top of the pipe from the ROV accident is going to
present a significant problem.

This morning at approximately 0845 CDT a discharge of liquids was observed from a diverter valve on the drillship Discoverer Enterprise, which is
on station at the MC252 wellsite. As a precautionary measure, the lower marine riser package (LMRP) containment cap system, attached to the Discover
Enterprise, has been moved off the Deepwater Horizon's failed blow-out preventer to ensure the safety of operations and allow the unexpected release
of liquids to be analysed. Capture of oil and gas through the LMRP cap is therefore temporarily suspended until such time that the cap can be
re-installed. Capture of oil and gas through the BOP's choke line to the Q4000 vessel on the surface continues.

The above information is from the live stream provided by BP as regard to the DEEPWATER HORIZON 252. I suspect that the "liquid" they are all
so worried about is BENZENE C6H6. A higher than normal concentration of BENZENE C6H6 coming up in the plume might have fatal
consequences for those working on the Q4000 collection ship. Indeed men might already be dead and we have not yet been told about it ?

Documents discussed during congressional hearings June 17, 2010, suggested that a battery in the device's control pod was flat and that the rig's
owner, Transocean, may have "modified" Cameron's equipment for the Macondo site which increased the risk of BOP failure, in spite of warnings from
their contractor to that effect. Another hypothesis is that the BOP may have been positioned at a junction in the drilling pipe, giving its shears a
larger thickness of material to cut through.[9]

In paragraph before this was;

Chief surveyor John David Forsyth of the American Bureau of Shipping testified in hearings before the Joint Investigation[5] of the Minerals
Management Service and the U.S. Coast Guard investigating the causes of the explosion that his agency last inspected the rig's failed blowout
preventer in 2005.[6] BP representatives suggested that the preventer could have suffered a hydraulic leak.

Am I jumping the gun, or does this not clearly spell-out purposeful negligence?

Ok, the question being, why? Was he just miserable in his life? Was he a part of a major conspiracy that he could no longer live with? Did he truly
feel so guilty about the crash that it was enough to blow his brains out? I don't buy it. This stinks like something 65 days old. Everybody should
keep a very close eye on this and never forget. Research this yourselves it is the only way to get to the truth. Otherwise everything you know will
be pumped through the PC/ government run grapevine.

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